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Woman Has To Bear Glares And Comments About Random Kids As Everyone Assumes They’re Hers
Interview With Expert
Unless you pay extra for premium comfort, air travel can be a drag. You go through long queues for security and luggage, and then are subjected to seats that are not built for a full-grown adult.
Being within the vicinity of rowdy, uncontrollable children makes the experience even more stressful. This is what a woman went through during her flight back from an emotionally exhausting weekend.
The worst part: people blamed her for not keeping the kids in check, as the actual parents intentionally sat behind and got inebriated. Scroll down to see the full story, as well as our conversation with VIP flight attendant and aviation & business trainer Paula Adams, who was kind enough to share her insights on flying with children.
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A parent must ensure that their children remain well-behaved during a flight
Image credits: EyeEm (not the actual photo)
However, this couple intentionally sat behind their rowdy kids and had a few drinks
Image credits: EyeEm (not the actual photo)
Unfortunately, the woman sitting next to the little tots took the heat
Image credits: ijeab (not the actual photo)
But because she was mentally exhausted, she wasn’t able to do anything
Image credits: helluvaresearcher
The lack of preparation is a common mistake parents make when flying with young kids
Image credits: lenblr (not the actual photo)
Part of parental responsibility during flights is to ensure that the kids aren’t a nuisance to other passengers. And according to Paula, most people come ill-prepared.
As she told Bored Panda, one of the biggest mistakes is to expect your children to “behave like seasoned adults.” Some would rely entirely on devices and have no backup plan when the gadget suddenly conks out or runs out of battery.
When the iPad fails, Paula advises engaging their senses and energy in a hands-on way. It could be through sticker books, puzzle boards, or storytelling games like “I Spy.” She emphasizes that these activities should not disturb everyone else on the flight.
“Flight missions” are also an excellent option, Paula says, suggesting things like making them “in charge” of the snack list.
“My golden rule? Routine + Responsibility,” she said. “Most kids don’t want to be ‘bad’ – they’re just uncomfortable or bored. Giving them a purpose is often more effective than giving them a punishment.”
Dealing with checked-out parents requires a polite but firm approach
Image credits: EyeEm (not the actual photo)
The story’s author was in a tough spot when everyone started giving her the side-eye because of the unruly children. What made her situation worse was that the parents brushed it all off as if there was nothing problematic.
Paula’s initial suggestion was to address both the kids and parents in an empathetic yet assertive way. However, none of these worked for the woman.
In this case, Paula advises calling the attention of the flight attendants who are trained to handle far worse situations.
“If all else fails, throw on your noise-canceling headphones, center your inner Zen, and try to become the embodiment of patience,” she said.
“Deflect glares with humor or confidence”
Image credits: zavalishina (not the actual photo)
Paula says being mistaken as the parent of misbehaving children is a common occurrence, something she describes as an “elite level of air-travel chaos.” Ultimately, it all comes down to how you handle it.
Her first piece of advice is to establish early on that you’re not the parent. It could be through a “light-hearted PSA” that goes something like, “These aren’t my kids, I just got the wildcard seat today.”
Paula adds that flight attendants are typically accommodating to any request, as long as the situation is explained clearly.
“If we know you’re stressed and misassigned by assumption, and if the flight is not full, then we’ll go the extra mile – or at least offer an aisle seat near peace and quiet,” she said.
But most importantly, Paula advises handling the situation with poise. Wisecracks like “Believe me, if they were mine, they’d be quieter” help break the tension and reset assumptions.
The woman does deserve props for not losing her patience despite her futile efforts. She seemed to have kept her calm, even though she was frustrated on the inside, something many people likely wouldn’t have been able to do.
People in the comments gave their suggestions, and the woman addressed some of them
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Megalodon Meg 4 months ago
I'm a whole a*s mother. Was a very young mother with two very young kids who a couple times had to fly with me. I would NEVER expect anyone else to loom after, sit with, or parent my kids under any circumstance. If we flew, we booked all seats together. If we couldn't, we booked different flights. There was only ever a single instance that we couldn't book together and had to be where we had to be so I politely of course asked the third person in our row if they would be willing to swap, offered to pay if they paid for their seat, and absolutely let them know it was okay to say no and further talked to the person who would have been sitting with my eldest, who for the record was incredibly well behaved, and let them know that I was two rows up and to expect me to react if I heard my kiddo making noise or needing something. The gentleman did switch with me but if he hadn't it's still on me and only me to parent my kid.
AnnaB 4 months ago
I would have stood up and very loudly announced to the entire plane that the two kids weren't mine & that if anyone had issues with their conduct, the parents were in the seat behind me. Then I would have asked the FA for a seat change.
KatSaidWhat 4 months ago
Yeah, I also have a lot of things I would have said but unfortunately I think OP was not in the state of mind to deal with that on top of everything else.
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Megalodon Meg 4 months ago
I'm a whole a*s mother. Was a very young mother with two very young kids who a couple times had to fly with me. I would NEVER expect anyone else to loom after, sit with, or parent my kids under any circumstance. If we flew, we booked all seats together. If we couldn't, we booked different flights. There was only ever a single instance that we couldn't book together and had to be where we had to be so I politely of course asked the third person in our row if they would be willing to swap, offered to pay if they paid for their seat, and absolutely let them know it was okay to say no and further talked to the person who would have been sitting with my eldest, who for the record was incredibly well behaved, and let them know that I was two rows up and to expect me to react if I heard my kiddo making noise or needing something. The gentleman did switch with me but if he hadn't it's still on me and only me to parent my kid.
AnnaB 4 months ago
I would have stood up and very loudly announced to the entire plane that the two kids weren't mine & that if anyone had issues with their conduct, the parents were in the seat behind me. Then I would have asked the FA for a seat change.
KatSaidWhat 4 months ago
Yeah, I also have a lot of things I would have said but unfortunately I think OP was not in the state of mind to deal with that on top of everything else.
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